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How could KLRU not jump on the Hamilton bandwagon?!
This Broadway phenomenon has broken records and charmed America with its diverse casting and innovative style. If only high school history class had been so entertaining!

With Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda created a blend of Broadway bravado, rhythmic hip-hop and political intrigue that is massively entertaining, but why stop there? The Hamilton Mixtape is the newest effort from Miranda—an album of covers from the hit musical with a who’s who list of modern recording artists—and KLRU is giving away copies of the CD this December!

Engage with us on social media or make a donation to #yourKLRU for a chance to win The Hamilton Mixtape.

Just comment about what you love about Hamilton—the musical or the man—and you’ll be entered.1. Facebook: Tag @KLRU-TV, Austin PBS2. Instagram: Tag KLRU and add #yourklru3. Twitter: @klru
(note: For KLRU to see your entry, settings for your FB post, Instagram, or Tweet must be public.)OR4. You can also gain an entry by simply donating on the form below.

KLRU is offering our viewers a special incentive this August! GIVE any amount via the form below and you will be entered in to the giveaway for a pair of passes to an ACL weekend! That’s ALL 3 days! Choice of weekend one or two winners are selected at random.

Here is how it works:
Post your favorite ACL Fest photo to Instagram or Twitter, and be sure to tag @klru and use the hashtag #yourklru.

The iconic Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is coming to One World Theater and we have 2 pairs of tickets to give away, along with an exclusive Meet and Greet!

KLRU is so excited to share this wonderful opportunity to see the band that had such a huge hand in shaping the folk, country and rock movements of the 60s! Their music has been inspiring fans and musicians alike for over 50 years and they’re still going strong.

During this August Pledge Drive we’re airing Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: 50 Years and Circlin’ Back where this influential band is joined by special guests Vince Gill, John Prine, Jackson Browne, Alison Krauss, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy Ibbotson, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Byron House.

This music has been fundamental for multiple generations. Help us to continue bringing celebrated art to your screen and the KLRU community by donating now. Make your contribution below to enter or engage with your community-supported PBS station the following ways to for a chance to meet Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and see them in concert October 20, 2016.

Here is how it works:
Post a photo on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram showing an album that has had a meaningful impact in your life.

Note: On Facebook, be sure to tag KLRU-TV, Austin PBS in the post (Please note: Your Facebook settings for this post must be set to “Public” so that we can see it and enter you in the giveaway). On Twitter & Instagram, be sure to tag @klru and use #yourklru.

There’s a lot of things to be thankful for, but one thing we can all be grateful for is great music. Sadly, some of the most profound musicians of the 20th Century died at the age of 27 which has encouraged mythologizing on what actually happened. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison all died at the age of 27 between 1969 and 1971. At that time, the deaths of these talented musicians did give rise to some speculation, but it wasn’t until Kurt Cobain’s suicide in 1994 that the idea of a ’27 Club’ hit the mainstream.

Today’s rockers will probably tell you Jimi Hendrix was huge influence on their music and we can’t blame them. Hendrix, American rock guitarist, singer-songwriter, is regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists of all time and is still celebrated by music-goers today. On this episode of Blank on Blank, you will listen to Hendrix’s last interview, one week before his on September 18, 1970.

Janis Joplin on Rejection – Blank on Blank

Up until Janis Joplin rose to fame in 1967, the music industry was predominantly owned by men. Joplin is now considered the premier female blues musician of the 1960s, with a powerful, raw and emotional stage presence it’s easy to see why she still holds this title. However, the negative opinions from others deeply affected Joplin in a way we had no idea about. In this Blank on Blank video, you will see a different side of Joplin in her last interview before her death on October 4, 1970.

Today’s society has engraved in us that being overweight is looked down upon by the public. Everywhere you turn celebrities and models show off their beach-ready bodies, but Jim Morrison has something to say about that. Frontman of the American rock band, The Doors, opens up in this interview about his personal experience with weight gain and his view on it.

When you think of the 1990s one face comes to mind: Kurt Cobain. Lead singer of American punk band, Nirvana, Cobain was – and is- the spokesperson for every teenager that doesn’t feel accepted by society. Often, he was the outcast at school and found a way to release himself through punk music – which portrayed how he felt socially and politically. In this interview, you will learn how Cobain felt towards his own identity and how he dealt with it.

Austin is constantly changing. Whether that be its music, food or art scene there is always something trendy around the corner. Which is why Arts In Context is seeking applicants for artists to feature on the award-winning series.

With Arts In Context, KLRU aims to pique curiosity and inspire individuals by spotlighting visual arts, dance, music and culture. Each episode is compelling and character driven.

If you have a story that anyone can be inspired by or can relate to, make sure to apply today. Apply here

Normally, KLRU chooses three programs each month for your family to enjoy together. In December 2013, we will have incredible family viewing opportunities for the holidays — be sure to check in for holiday programming without the holiday commercials!

In a week of encore episodes, kids can enjoy the most musical moments of DINOSAUR TRAIN for a week of dance-tastic adventures. Buddy, Shiny, Tiny and Don explore ponds, gardens, oceans and more in “That’s Not a Dinosaur/Tiny’s Garden,” “Remember the Alamosaurus/Sunrise, Sunset,” “Elmer Elasmosaurus/Dinosaur Block Party,” “Junior Conductor Jamboree/Troodon Train Day” and “Buddy Explores the Tyrannosaurs/Rainy Day Fight.” They sing and dance as they encourage kids to get outside, get into nature and make their own discoveries.

The next edition of KLRU’s Lone Star Emmy nominated show, SXSW Flashback, is debuting this month. Like its predecessors, SXSW Flashback 2012 takes viewers back to March for one hour of SXSW excitement, once again featuring a wide variety of interviews ranging from the already-made-its to the up-and-comers of the entertainment world. Highlights for 2012 include Channing Tatum, Willem Dafoe, Kimbra, Matthew McConaughey, Lance Gross, Jack Black, Jonah Hill, and many more, discussing their latest movies and music as well as their experiences here visiting Central Texas and SXSW.

SWSW Flashback will air on KLRU on Tuesday, October 23rd, at 10:30 p.m.

Jerome Schoolar, co-creator and producer of the Emmy Award winning PBS show “The Biscuit Brothers”, is calling on fans to support the building of a new Fine Arts Farm in South Austin that will be designed to provide music and arts education to the entire community. The proposed facility will include concert and theatre space as well as multiple classrooms, a themed outdoor area, and plenty of Magical Musical Farm décor. Support the project online now

“I want to create a space where we can entertain and educate kids and families of all ages in all sorts of ways,” said Schoolar, who plays Dusty on the show and has served as a City of Austin Fine Arts Coordinator for Children. “The vision includes regular classes, special concerts, theatrical guests, and more, with much of it low-cost or even free to Title 1 AISD schools and other at-risk members of our community.”

The Biscuit Brothers have a long history of providing inexpensive or free shows to the public – often benefitting other local organizations – and hope the new building near Slaughter Lane and I-35 will help sustain those as well as the TV show which is given to PBS for free.

$50,000 is needed to secure the property and begin upgrades. Schoolar says he hopes to raise at least $25,000 online and another $25,000 from corporate sponsors.

“We’ve got some amazing rewards for our supporters, including free classes and invitations to participate in the permanent decorations of the building. For our top donors or corporate sponsors, we’re offering chances to name classrooms and more. And for everyone, we’re offering the chance to help build a facility that has the potential to make a lasting impact across our entire community.”

Schoolar points to multiple studies on both the national and local scale that highlight the importance of Fine Arts training in education. “There’s ample evidence showing that children who are actively involved in Fine Arts Education are smarter, healthier, and happier, and that exposure needs to begin as early as possible with reliable consistency. The Biscuit Brothers have always been about fostering musical education for young kids, and now we want to broaden that to a fully artistic and really fun Fine Arts Farm.”

For those of you looking for Van Cliburn and Itzhak Perlman from Live from Lincoln Center, these two specials will be featured this Sunday, September 30th.

Cliburn: 50 Years of Gold will air on Sunday, September 30th at 2 pm followed at 3 pm by Live from Lincoln Center “The Philharmonic Opening Gala with Itzhak Perlman.”

Cliburn: 50 Years of Gold–Every four years a group of the finest young pianists take the stage at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas. In the midst of the drama, the beauty, the nerves and the excitement, they know one thing is true – what happens there can change their lives. They strive to feel the joy of victory and achieve their utmost goal: to become a performer on the world stage. As seen through the eyes and memories of 15 gold medalists, The Cliburn: 50 Years of Gold follows the half-century long history of one of the world’s most prestigious music competitions, set against the backdrop of beautiful music. The most important moment in the life of a young pianist is when he or she walks out onto the stage of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Gut-wrenching drama, strung-out nerves and the joy of victory are the elements that make up this extraordinary film retrospective.

Live from Lincoln Center “The Philharmonic Opening Gala with Itzhak Perlman”–Violin legend Itzhak Perlman joins the New York Philharmonic and music director Alan Gilbert for this season opening concert gala featuring Respighi’s Pines of Rome.

So please join KLRU-TV on Sunday, September 30th at 2 pm for these two unique specials.